Plan B: A good plan

    The Food and Drug Administration  (FDA) came to a decision on Wednesday that will now allow 17-year-olds to purchase morning-after contraceptive pills without a doctor's prescription, lowering the age limit by a year. The agency's choice coincided with the assessment of Judge Edward R. Korman of the Federal District Court in New York last month, where he ruled that the past limitation to those 18 and older was driven purely by politics, not science.
    While the use of contraceptives has been widely debated, we believe that the policy change by the FDA was a correct one. In today's culture, we must realize that teenagers are going to have sex — and unfortunately, it will sometimes be unprotected. It has been the responsibility of our societal leaders to provide us with resources for keeping things safe. Morning-after pills, or Plan B, are a utility for women of all ages to prevent the unplanned pregnancies that they aren't ready for. Contraceptives have been restricted for too long. We, as young adults, have moved beyond the prospect of abstinence-only education. Sexually active teenagers are everywhere, and unplanned pregnancies among teens happen to be the most dangerous unplanned pregnancies of all. Prevention of these pregnancies should be easy to do.
    Perhaps best put is the statement the judge made by essentially claiming the current standards are political decisions without scientific regard. Far too long have politicians been blinded by their biased platforms to realize that times have changed and the nation's younger generations are more involved, more aware and more active. The majority of premarital and underage sex concerns stem from the religious and moral views individuals question each day. Conservatives argue that this change disregards the rights of parents and may only lead to more teenage sex. The point is, though, that Plan B provides a dose of security for women that never used to be there. It teaches them to be responsible when having sex; to either use protection in the moment or protect themselves afterward. The FDA did not appeal the ruling by the judge because the administration appears to be accepting that politics have driven the scientific field for too long.
    Scientific evidence has disproved the theories of increased abortions and unprotected sex as a result of easier access to contraceptives. While our elected decision-makers continue to oppose the availability of such drugs based on moral issues, it is without a doubt the beginning of a movement in the right direction. Our nation has been controlled by the campaign guidelines and abortion-related promises made by the politicians that represent us. The FDA and the judicial system prove now that change can happen. This ruling recognizes the state of teenagers in society today. And most importantly, it encourages the leaders of society not to politicize the fact that no matter what, teenagers are going to have sex, so they might as well have the tools to keep it safe.